Sunday, September 26, 2021

History behind the Galveston Hominy Mill explored.

The Galveston Hominy Mill was a corn mill which produced corn, wheat, and grain for the city of Galveston throughout the 19th century. This news article will explain what the functions of Galveston Hominy Mill were.


Galveston Hominy Mill was established around 1844. Messrs. William G. Halsey & A. H. Boysen owned and operated Galveston Hominy Mill throughout much of the 19th century. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth894026/m1/48/zoom/?q=Helinora&resolution=3&lat=3558&lon=750)

Galveston Hominy Mill was erected on a concrete slab foundation. 3 single sets of rollers were erected on 2 runs of stone. Rollers transported wheat and grains to bins located outside the hominy mill at a capacity of 100 BBLS. A water tank was stored in a small room but was seldomly used. Galveston Hominy Mill operated only during the day time. Modifications were made to Galveston Hominy Mill over time as the years progressed forward. Galveston Hominy Mill was reconstructed in 1874 and again in the summer of 1881. (Ref: Sanborn Map of Galveston from 1877)

The mill stated out with 4 burrs having a capacity of tuning out 110 barrels daily. There was 60 barrels of hominy minus 6,000 pounds of feed material. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth894026/m1/48/zoom/?q=Helinora&resolution=3&lat=3558&lon=750)



The offices of Galveston Hominy Mill moved from 12th Street and Avenue E to 111 Strand between 22nd Street and 23rd Street in 1889. However the hominy mill and warehouses remained in place at 12th Street and Avenue E. A notice about their offices moving was posted in the Galveston Daily News newspaper. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth469310/m1/3/zoom/?q=Hominy&resolution=2&lat=2205.500000000002&lon=2856.9363824963802)




A. H. Boysen installed a new 100 horse-power engine with new boilers at Galveston Hominy Mill in 1895.The mills had a capacity of 1,000 sacks a day, or about 200 barrels, which meant the consumption of about 100,000 bushels of corn a year. Galveston Hominy Mill was turning out a better grade of corn in 1895. 10 men were employed on average. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465846/m1/11/zoom/?q=Hominy&resolution=1.5&lat=3798.5&lon=2138.4999999999995)



 

The well-known Galveston Hominy Mills, situated on the corner of Avenue E and 12th Street, and owned by A. H. Boysen, did a very fair business during 1896. The trade in the products of the mills is chiefly local. Occasionally orders from interior points and coast towns are filled by the Galveston hominy mills. The product is handled entirely by jobbers. In connection with the hominy mills Mr. Boysen has his own barrel factory and cooperage shop, where he makes the barrels for the products of the mills. The mills are one of the few establishments of the kind in the south, and are complete in every detail. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/20274842/)


Galveston Hominy Mill was met with a series unfortunate fate around the turn of the 19th century. Which in turn led to the decline of Galveston Hominy Mill. The series of unfortunate fate was mostly caused by natural disasters and was weather related.

Galveston Hominy Mill was nearly destroyed by a fire around 1898. The cause of what ignited this fire was unknown. A. H. Boysen had Galveston Hominy Mill rebuilt that year.

Galveston Hominy Mill faced an even further decline during the beginning of the 20th century. Galveston Hominy Mill was wiped out by Storm of 1900. Strong wind currents and low fluctuation in topography caused the storm to wipe out the mill. This natural disaster led to an even further decline for Galveston Hominy Mill. A. H. Boysen made the decision to close down Galveston Hominy Mill permanently in 1901. He later moved in Houston in 1901 to assume management of a company. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=kH8xAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1095&lpg)



Galveston Hominy Mill was located at 12th Street and Avenue E, Galveston, Texas, US 77552. Galveston Hominy Mill was also located at 12th Street and Avenue A, Galveston, Texas, US 77552.

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